World War 2 LIVE – Details, episodes & analysis
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Welcome to World War II Live!
Join historians John C. McManus and Kevin Hymel each week for an entertaining, informal, and cutting-edge dive into the history of the Second World War.
These aren’t just any hosts—John is a professor of U.S. military history, author of fifteen award-winning books, and one of the nation’s top experts. Kevin has written five acclaimed books (including a trilogy on Patton), consults on films and documentaries, and brings the battlefields to life with his tours.
On World War II Live, we’re here to answer your questions—big or small—while also sharing behind-the-scenes stories from their research, their tours, and their time working with documentaries. Expect a mix of serious insights, surprising details, and a touch of humor as they explore every corner of the war and what it means to us today.
Subscribe, send in your questions, and join the conversation—because this is your chance to talk history with the experts
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Apple Podcasts
🇬🇧 Great Britain - history
30/12/2025#94🇬🇧 Great Britain - history
29/12/2025#77🇬🇧 Great Britain - history
28/12/2025#85🇬🇧 Great Britain - history
27/12/2025#62🇬🇧 Great Britain - history
26/12/2025#82🇬🇧 Great Britain - history
25/12/2025#93
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See allScore global : 69%
Publication history
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Christmas during World War Two!
Season 1 · Episode 15
lundi 22 décembre 2025 • Duration 01:01:36
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The Invasion of Sicily Begins: John C. McManus & Kevin Hymel Break It Down
Season 1 · Episode 14
vendredi 19 décembre 2025 • Duration 55:50
Join military historians John C. McManus and Kevin Hymel on World War 2 Live as they dive into the dramatic opening phase of the Allied invasion of Sicily in 1943—Operation Husky. In this episode, they break down the strategy behind the landings, the challenges on the beaches and in the air, and why Sicily became the crucial first step in prying open Hitler’s Fortress Europe.
You’ll hear battlefield stories, logistical insights, and the kind of context you don’t get from a textbook, all grounded in John and Kevin’s decades of research and tour experience.
Have a World War II question you’d like answered on our Stump the Chumps segment?
📩 Email us at: worldwar2live@gmail.com
If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share to help more history fans find World War 2 Live.
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Rommel vs. America: Kasserine Pass – The Battle That Shocked the Allies
Season 1 · Episode 5
vendredi 10 octobre 2025 • Duration 59:09
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Patton at Casablanca | Vichy France vs. America
Season 1 · Episode 4
vendredi 3 octobre 2025 • Duration 58:16
John C. McManus and Kevin Hymel dive into General George Patton's leadership during the North African campaign, the experiences of troops during invasions, and the complexities of military communication. The discussion also touches on the surrender of French forces in Casablanca, Patton's controversial decisions, and the impact of media portrayals of the war. Additionally, Stump the Chumps explores the controversial battle of Iwo Jima and the implications of decisions made during the war, including the liberation of Prague.
Send us question for Stump the Chumps at: worldwar2live@gmail.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Why George C. Marshall may be WW2's most under-rated leader.
Season 1 · Episode 3
vendredi 26 septembre 2025 • Duration 58:39
John and Kevin take deep dive into the life and legacy of George C. Marshall. How his leadership set a course for the world. In out Stump the Chumps section we contemplate the North Platte Canteen!!!
Send your WW2 questions for John and Kevin to:
worldwar2live@gmail.com
We would love to hear from you!
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Patton in Morocco
Season 1 · Episode 2
vendredi 19 septembre 2025 • Duration 54:00
Patton was so concerned about the Torch Landings in Morocco that he prayed to an Hawaiian war god. It even followed him to the landing beaches. John and Kevin take you along as they walk in the footsteps of General George S. Patton ... starting with him walking ashore in Morocco.
Stump the Chumps has some great questions:
What was the worse things each
major power did during World War Two?
Which battles in World War Two are over-credited
in their significance and which battles are under-credited
and are actually more important than the widely understood.
What two or three aspects of World War Two are
gradually fading from the narrative of the war
over time?
If you have WW2 questions for John and Kevin you can email them to:
worldwar2live@gmail.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Omaha Beach with John McManus
Season 1 · Episode 1
vendredi 12 septembre 2025 • Duration 01:15:05
Welcome to the very first episode of World War II Live! 🎥
Historians John C. McManus and Kevin Hymel kick things off with a deep dive into the myths and realities of D-Day at Omaha Beach—one of the most famous, misunderstood, and hotly debated battles of World War II. They recall visiting the beach and how walking the ground can change your perspective.
But that’s not all. Stick around for our fan-favorite segment, Stump the Chumps, where YOU get to put the historians on the spot with your toughest World War II questions. From surprising modern questions to new twists on topics you thought you knew, you’ll see John and Kevin tackle questions they didn’t see coming.
📅 New episodes drop each a week—join us for a mix of sharp history, good humor, and straight answers from two of the leading experts on the Second World War.
👉 Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss an episode!
👉 Have a question for Stump the Chumps? Send an email to: worldwar2live@gmail.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Did We Fight the Soviets? And Who Named D-Day’s Beaches?
Season 1 · Episode 13
mercredi 10 décembre 2025 • Duration 12:54
In this Stump the Chumps segment, historians John C. McManus and Kevin Hymel tackle two fascinating viewer questions that shed new light on the final months of World War II and the planning for D-Day.
First Question: Did the U.S. Army and the Soviet Army ever fight each other at the end of World War II?
John and Kevin explore the tense, chaotic final weeks of the European war, examining where U.S. and Soviet forces collided—politically, geographically, and potentially on the battlefield. Their answer reveals how close the Allies came to unintentional conflict as Germany collapsed.
Second Question: Who actually named the beaches for D-Day?
From “Omaha” to “Utah,” the origins of these iconic names are often misunderstood. Kevin and John break down how the invasion beaches received their codenames, who created them, and why these choices mattered for Operation Overlord.
Join us for another lively and informative round of Stump the Chumps, where great questions lead to great history.
📌 Have a question you want answered on the show? Leave it in the comments!
📌 Subscribe for weekly conversations with top WWII historians.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Operation Husky: Planning the Allied Assault
Season 1 · Episode 12
samedi 6 décembre 2025 • Duration 51:29
We kick off our series on the Sicilian Campaign with a look at the Allied planning. John and Kevin take you into the minds of the Allied planners for Operation Husky. They also take viewer question in Stump the Chumps....including looking at the issue of British tea breaks during Operation Market Gardern.
Send us questions at worldwar2live@gmail.com
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From the Vault: Patton’s Private WWII Images
Season 1 · Episode 11
vendredi 28 novembre 2025 • Duration 01:07:36
In this episode of World War II Live, Kevin Hymel takes viewers deep inside General George S. Patton’s personal archive to uncover a remarkable treasure: previously unseen photographs from World War II. Kevin reveals how he found these rare images, what they show about Patton’s leadership and personality, and why they change our understanding of his legacy.
Join Kevin and John C. McManus as they explore these stunning visual discoveries and discuss what they reveal about one of America’s most iconic commanders.
Get Kevin's book here: https://www.amazon.com/Pattons-Photographs-War-He-Saw/dp/1574888722
Send us questions for Stump the Chumps at: worldwar2live @gmail.com
Check out Mark's historical war gaming YouTube channel at Mark's Game Room:
https://www.youtube.com/@MarksGameRoom/featured
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